Cultivating Immortality in Two Realms

Chapter 135 Mysterious Soul

Beside the icy, cold spring.

Fang Qing casually tossed the "Mystic Soul Stone" into the bottom of the pool.

This "Mysterious Soul-Replenishing Pill" is a pill made of metal and stone. Metal and stone are difficult to refine with water, and for many water-based alchemists, the initial tempering process is a major challenge.

However, this third-tier Ice Soul Cold Spring was incredibly cold, enough to shatter metal and stone, saving him a lot of trouble.

Even while refining pills, Fang Qing still had time to let his mind wander.

"The Zhong family... Zhong Lingxiu has been missing for so long, she's probably risking her life to cross the vast sea to the cultivation world of the East Sea..."

"The remaining direct descendants of the Zhong family have truly become worse with age. Their aptitude is inferior, they are unable to establish their foundation, and they were actually wiped out by the calamity cultivators... That 'Ice Soul Pearl Talisman Treasure' is a bargain for me."

"This bead can emit the icy, mysterious light; it is a third-tier technique."

First-tier Ice Soul Spirit Water, second-tier Ice Soul Cold Light, and only third-tier Ice Soul Profound Light! It already possesses the power of a divine being!

With this supernatural power, the patriarch of the Zhong family was able to rival the innate supernatural power of the sea-overturning turtle!

"I wonder if the innate divine power of this third-tier demon beast is the same as the divine power cultivated in the Purple Mansion?"

Fang Qing's thoughts wandered: "And this art of divination is truly a wonderful thing... If I didn't have any other cheat codes, relying solely on this daily divination, I might be impoverished in Ancient Shu, but I would definitely rise to prominence in the Qi Refining Path... Although my divination skills are also enhanced by the Dao-Born Pearl's rank, without this pearl, even in the Qi Refining Path where the secrets of heaven are clear and monopolized, I could only barely predict my own fortune..."

Such divination techniques are most taboo in calculating the fate of those who are more advanced than oneself, or even those who possess powerful treasures to suppress their destiny.

If Fang Qing hadn't been divined by the Three Perfections Master in person last time, which triggered the Dao Life Pearl's automatic defense and allowed him to gain a slight rank, his divination skills wouldn't have skyrocketed to such an extent.

Even this level of celestial secrets technique is not considered a Golden Core in ancient Shu; it's only slightly better than a chicken rib.

On the other hand, in Xiao Huanhai's case, it was a clear case of being outmatched.

Inside the side hall.

Zhan Hongxiu silently meditated and cultivated her Qi, while her junior brother, dressed as a scholar, paced back and forth, looking uneasy: "A month has passed, and I still don't know how that senior is doing with alchemy... Sigh, if we had known, we would have shamelessly asked to observe the alchemy process."

Zhan Hongxiu opened her eyes, looking somewhat helpless.

According to the rules of loose cultivators, they are allowed to observe, but the situation is different now. That third-tier Ice Soul Cold Spring is a key place of the sect, so she was embarrassed and dared not speak.

Fang Qing's teasing words as he left still terrified her.

"That senior... discovered that my hairpin is a storage magic artifact? Given his greed, why didn't he take a look?"

Zhan Hongxiu's heart was filled with a thousand thoughts, and sorrow appeared on her face.

Seeing this, the Confucian scholar junior brother panicked even more and said in a low voice, "Senior sister... Senior brother has always disapproved of us, and this time it was our own decision... If we fail, the consequences will be unimaginable."

The disciples under the Green Water Hermit's command were not all harmonious; there was also infighting and backstabbing.

In other words, as long as there are interests at stake, harmony is impossible.

If Zhan Hongxiu manages to obtain the "Mysterious Soul-Replenishing Pill" through this unauthorized action, everyone will be overjoyed, and she will have accomplished a great feat.

If we fail, the eldest brother might even pin the blame for worsening Master's injuries on him!

"Don't worry, I've inquired about it. That Island Master Fang once oversaw the refining of Foundation Establishment Pills... He's definitely a second-tier high-grade alchemist," Zhan Hongxiu reassured her.

"So what if he's a second-tier high-grade alchemist? Didn't that Yuan alchemist boast about his abilities before?"

The scholar lowered his voice: "Even if we can succeed, what if we deliberately fail, or delay for several years? This is water-based alchemy, and it's a pill made of metal and stone. It's possible that it will be delayed for several years... By then, our master's injuries will worsen or he may even pass away. We will have no support, and the garrison will be able to devour us and Sanyuan Island together."

"this……"

Zhan Hongxiu hadn't really considered this worst-case scenario, and her heart skipped a beat.

Just then, a man walked into the side hall. He had honest features and was none other than Xiang Dahu.

"senior!"

The scholar immediately felt uneasy, wondering if the Foundation Establishment Divine Sense had heard what he had said in a deliberately low voice.

To everyone's surprise, Xiang Dahu's expression remained unchanged. He simply said, "The island lord has emerged from seclusion. Please come to the main hall to meet him."

"Could it be...?"

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Zhan Hongxiu and the scholar exchanged a glance, their faces both showing joy.

The Ice and Snow Main Hall.

"Greetings, Island Lord..."

Zhan Hongxiu pulled her junior brother to kneel down, and then Fang Qing, who was at the head of the table, casually tossed down a jade bottle.

Upon opening it, one would find a golden pill inside the jade bottle, with three red patterns on it, emitting a fragrant aroma.

"Indeed, it is exactly as recorded in the alchemy book, it is indeed the Profound Soul Replenishing Pill... It takes only one month to refine a pill made of metal and stone, the island lord's alchemy skills are unparalleled in the world."

Zhan Hongxiu kept saying nice things, while the scholar beside her felt ashamed, realizing that he had been petty.

"Alright, I know you two are eager to go home, so I won't keep you any longer."

Fang Qing found it amusing, waved his hand, and dismissed Zhan Hongxiu and the two of them as they left.

"Young master? That man insulted you. Please allow me to secretly follow him and kill him..."

Xiang Dahu appeared silently and said in a cold voice.

"No need. I don't need to read faces to know that junior brother is close to Zhan Hongxiu and is destined to die a violent death... I can't be bothered with him."

Fang Qing, too lazy to get his hands dirty, with a somewhat strange expression, took out another jade bottle.

Inside this jade bottle was a single "Mysterious Soul-Replenishing Pill"!

"If an alchemist refines pills in excess of the usual quantity, they can keep the rest for themselves; it's an unspoken rule and a way to make a living in the industry..."

Judging from Zhan Hongxiu's expression, she seemed to have never expected that I could have two pools at once...

He examined the pills for a while, then silently put them away.

This elixir is rather unorthodox, yet it can heal injuries to the soul, which is quite rare.

"I never expected... that I almost never refine pills for others, but the occasional time I do, I make a fortune..."

Fang Qing smiled slightly, then habitually calculated the aftermath: "Hmm? It seems there are still some loose ends to be made?"

Having obtained the elixir, Zhan Hongxiu dared not delay for a moment and, together with her junior brother, sped back to Sanyuan Island.

Just as they landed on a mountain peak, a beam of light appeared and came to greet them. It was a man in black with the cultivation level of the ninth level of Qi Refining.

"So it's the eldest brother!"

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Zhan Hongxiu bowed. This senior brother, "Lu Lingfeng," was a collateral branch of the Lu family, a Foundation Establishment cultivator on Sanyuan Island. He had been lucky enough to escape a calamity back then, and it was he who first offered Sanyuan Island to Green Water Hermit, giving Green Water Hermit a righteous reason to occupy the island. For this merit, Green Water Hermit accepted him as a disciple. As for herself and her grandfather, they had been wandering for several years and had encountered the remnants of the Jiang family. Her grandfather had unfortunately died in battle, and fueled by both old and new grudges, she showed no mercy to the remnants of the Jiang family.

Lu Lingfeng was, after all, a member of the Lu family, and the Jiang and Lu families had always been on good terms, so he naturally didn't like Zhan Hongxiu.

"Junior Sister Zhan... you took the Profound Soul Stone without saying a word, causing a huge mess. I spent a great deal of effort to persuade a second-tier alchemist, and now I've lost this essential ingredient..."

Lu Lingfeng's scathing rebuke left his junior brother beside him looking indignant.

Zhan Hongxiu, however, was more cunning. She waited until several streams of light surrounded her and all the disciples had gathered before speaking, "I apologize for my lack of foresight, which caused you all worry. Fortunately, the quest for the pill went smoothly, and I have successfully refined a 'Mysterious Soul Replenishing Pill'."

"What? You've succeeded?"

Many of his fellow disciples were overjoyed.

Even Lu Lingfeng showed a look of surprise on his face.

Although he hated Zhan Hongxiu, he wasn't stupid; he knew that Lu Shui Sanren was his powerful backer.

If this powerful backer were to fall, not only would they be unable to maintain the Three Talents Market and earn a fortune daily to support their cultivation, but they themselves would become easy prey in the eyes of the cultivators! Therefore, their interests are aligned in protecting their master.

"I wonder which master of alchemy made the move?"

Second Senior Sister asked.

Zhan Hongxiu exchanged a glance with her Confucian junior brother and replied, "It is the garrison commander of Taibai Island... However, my junior sister requested the pills in a private capacity, and the payment was settled on time, so there is no karmic connection."

"You...sigh...Master clearly gave the order first, never mind..."

Lu Lingfeng sighed, then said, "There's no time to lose, let's hurry and deliver the medicine to our master..."

Taibai Island.

Inside the cave dwelling filled with third-order spiritual energy.

Fang Qing sat cross-legged and began circulating the "Azure Sea Technique".

Before long, another drop of liquid mana appeared in the vast, dark blue lake of mana in his dantian.

"Fifty-two drops of liquid mana..."

After sensing it for a while, Fang Qing couldn't help but sigh.

Only after cultivating to the late Foundation Establishment stage did I realize that there are differences between different late stages.

A cultivator who has just entered the late stage of Foundation Establishment only has fifty-one drops of liquid mana.

When the Foundation Establishment stage is complete, there are ninety-nine drops!

This is almost a 1:1 difference in magical power; no matter what you do, it's an overwhelming victory.

Needless to say, once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, what seems like breaking through the final bottleneck will actually increase the quality and power of your magic by several times.

If it's a superior cultivation technique, it might even cause the liquid mana to "crystallize" prematurely, increasing the probability of successfully forming the core. Therefore, reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment is also a bottleneck, requiring the assistance of a major breakthrough pill to break through; otherwise, it's unknown how long one will be stuck.

With the "Azure Sea Skill" personally passed down by the Azure Sea Ancestor, he now has no doubts about the cultivation of Qi Refining Path, at least at the Foundation Establishment level. He only needs to follow the steps and take pills to cultivate, and he can achieve Foundation Establishment Perfection!

"Having several decades of leisure is a rare treat; it would be best to form the core as soon as possible..."

"But reaching the Foundation Establishment stage isn't difficult, while Core Formation is very difficult, not to mention the Heavenly Tribulation! You need to prepare tribulation-crossing techniques or treasures in advance... Fortunately, I have the Tide-Rising Pearl!"

Fang Qing paused, stunned. "But in the ancient Shu region, I've never heard of anyone breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm, let alone experiencing a Heavenly Tribulation... I've never even heard of lightning cultivators. Could it be that they don't have any lightning magic inheritance there?"

He felt a chill run down his spine: "To be on the safe side, the thunder magic talismans and related treasures here... cannot be sold over there."

After completing his practice for the day, Fang Qing leisurely emerged from seclusion, ready to enjoy himself.

Just then, a thought struck him as he received a message from Xiang Dahu: "A Foundation Establishment cultivator has come to visit?"